Immunization

Immunization is a process in which people are made immune or resistant to infectious diseases, typically by the administration of vaccines. Vaccination has proven successful as a relatively low-cost, low-risk means of protecting populations from certain diseases, several of which have nearly been eradicated in Many parts of the world. Although smallpox was still endemic in Africa and Asia in the 1960s, by 1980, after decades of fighting the disease on a global scale through efforts by the World Health Organization's (WHO) Smallpox Eradication Programme (1966–80), the World Health Assembly endorsed a statement declaring smallpox eradicated. The eradication program rid the world of a disease that once killed up to 35 percent of its victims and left millions others scarred or blind. After the measles vaccine was licensed in the United States in 1963, measles began to decline by 1965, with a record low reported in 1998, with only 89 cases and no measles-associated deaths. Such statistics indicate the benefit of immunization in preventing death of debilitating diseases that are otherwise preventable.

There are two kinds of immunizations, or vaccinations. The first is active immunization, among the greatest achievements in public health. This kind of immunization naturally occurs when a person comes into contact with a microbe. If the person does not come into contact with it, no premade antibodies are made by the body for defense. A healthy immune system creates antibodies against the microbe, so the next time the body comes into contact with it, the person is immune. This frequently happens with childhood infections that a person contracts once then is immune to thereafter. Passive immunization occurs when elements of the immune system are transferred to a person so that the body does not need to produce its own antibodies. While antibodies can be used for passive immunization, this method does not last as long because the body is unable to produce more antibodies to continue the immunization. This kind of immunization physiologically occurs when antibodies are transferred from the mother to the fetus during pregnancy as a measure of protecting the fetus before and immediately after birth. Artificial passive immunization occurs when an injection is given. This is used if there is a recent outbreak of a disease or in emergency situations; for example, in order to treat tetanus.

Proof of immunization is often required by law in order for children to attend school or adults to enroll in college. An immunization registry, or the Immunization Information system, is a private, population-based, computerized system attempting to collect vaccination data about people in a specific geographic area. This is done by collecting immunization records from several sources for every person living in the specific area. It is an important tool because it has the potential to increase and sustain high vaccination coverage; by consolidating vaccination records of both adults and children, health care providers are better able to forecast the timeliness of doses, recall vaccination notices, provide official vaccination forms, and create vaccination coverage assessments. One goal of this system is to work toward more consistency is vaccination of children under 6 years old. Since 1990, great declines in morbidity have been reported for [Page 690]nine diseases that are preventable with vaccination. While different strains continue to challenge standard vaccinations, immunization overall is seen as a way to encourage the body's natural defenses, and research continues to seek out vaccinations for diseases that have been thought of as otherwise incurable and deadly.

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